Astrology for 2006: How the Stars Can Help You Achieve Your Goals

TO GET THINGS STARTED

Every New Year brings with it a particular vibration, setting a tone for the year. This vibration is created by
several things, and one of them is the chart of the New Year itself and the astrological events taking place right
around the time of the old year ending and the new one beginning. The 2006 New Year was ushered in with some most
interesting aspects taking place, resonating with a similar vibration or message, which sets the tone for the entire
year. They are the following:

There was a New Moon in Capricorn on 12/30/05 which means we entered the New Year under the influence
of a New Moon cycle, signifying a time of beginnings (more on this below).

Venus re-entered the sign of Capricorn on New Year’s day (until 3/5/06), urging us to place
a greater focus on our resources, finance, talents and skills.

Also, the year begins with Mars opposing Jupiter, which will be exact on the 1/15, in the signs
of Taurus and Scorpio. The two signs most involved with our talents, passions, finances, budgets and resources.
These signs also rule what empowers us, our self-worth and our passions.

Some other keywords or phrases for these three events are: accomplishment, resources, perseverance,
patience, wisdom learned from past mistakes, regrouping in order to form a stronger foundation, success, new ventures,
industriousness, manifestation and doing what will make you feel stronger, more empowered and more secure. I feel
any or all of these will be major themes for many people in 2006.

The strong emphasis on the sign of Capricorn suggests that you may have to cut back, curtailing
your spending, in order to create a more solid foundation from which to operate. Once you have given this some thought,
and come up with a plan, your attention turns towards manifesting what you want. (If you have had problems manifesting
in the recent past, you may well find a renewed desire to try again.) How strongly you feel and notice these energies
depends upon how directly they are affecting your own chart, and getting a reading will give you more specific information
on this. If you have planets or angles at degrees being directly hit by these events, you will be more strongly impacted. That
said, everyone will be affected to some degree or another. And, even though you may not be strongly impacted,
someone around you may well be. Which could create a ripple effect, and impact you in some indirect way.

TAKING PRIDE IN YOURSELF: ENTER SATURN

There are other things taking place this year that I feel will move us in these directions. Saturn in Leo will help
to rein in the ego and take greater control of your own energy. This one thing alone can go far in assisting
you to better direct the course you have set upon. A key here is to acknowledge the difference between being prideful
verses taking pride in what you do. One is ego based, the other a sign of self-worth and true value. Also, Saturn
can help you to take an honest and realistic evaluation of where you are, an integral aspect throughout any journey
of genuine change.

Saturn in Leo can also help you to stay focused and not go off on tangents, which can help you to find the perseverance
and stamina needed realize your dreams and “stay the course”. But you must harness and utilize these
energies in order to gain these gifts. Another aspect of Saturn in Leo is that it can reveal to you your well spring
of courage. This is important as it takes courage to bring your vision into reality. To utilize any of these positive
gifts of Saturn in Leo, you must first gain an awareness of them and get a sense of how they live within your own
being. Then, as you consciously focus on them, you can claim them as your own. Saturn’s presence in Leo this
year offers a great assist in becoming the “Master of Your Destiny”.

THE FUEL:JUPITER

So what will provide the fuel for this process? There are two celestial placements directly impacting this. Jupiter
in Scorpio and the continuing presence of Neptune in Aquarius. First, Jupiter in Scorpio can help you to
travel deep within and find your passion. Perhaps you have had some trouble getting in touch with that in
recent years. If so, Jupiter in Scorpio, until late November of this year, (the sign having rulership over our deepest
desires and passions) can be a help. I would like to suggest that you travel back in time to a place where you really
felt passionate and inspired (actually, inspiration is Neptune’s domain…more on that in a minute), and
remember what that felt like. It does not necessarily mean that the same things will still arise passion within you,
though they may. What is of primary importance is that you can still feel your inner fire. Once you get a
renewed sense of that (renewal being an attribute of Scorpio), then ask yourself what it would be like to live with
such a passion again. What would it be like to be excited about something that truly inspired you? And keep
in mind that you are older and at a different stage of life and perhaps the fire within is more of a steady, glowing
warmth than a raging infernal. What is important is to seek it out so that you feel and know that you still have
that flame within, even if it presently may be in the form of embers. So now that you are reacquainted with your
inner fire and passion, you may be wondering where to direct it? Perhaps what allowed it to burn so low was that
you lost your inspiration. Enter Neptune.

THE INSPIRATION: NEPTUNE

Neptune has been in Aquarius for some time now. In fact, it entered in 1998 and will be here until early 2012. Because
the outer planets of Uranus, Neptune and Pluto move so slowly, their influence isn’t always felt in personal
ways, but in more cultural or global ways. It takes the closer planets making aspects to them to “re-ignite” their
energy, at least as they affect us in these more personal ways. (However, if any of the outer planets are making
a direct aspect to your own chart, then you would certainly be feeling their impact. A reading can determine this.)
Back to Neptune. This year, both Jupiter and Saturn are making powerful aspects to Neptune, so I feel we will
all be feeling Neptune’s vibrations more intensely and personally. So let’s revisit what the basic
influence is of Neptune in Aquarius.

Neptune reveals to us the source of our inspiration and the basis of our Spiritual life. It rules
our capacity to be truly inspired and our ability to use that inspiration as a guideline and basis for our life.
And in fact, if you have a strong Neptune in your natal chart, these things are likely to be of great importance
to you.

The sign of Aquarius rules many things, as do all of the signs. But the area it has rulership over as it relates
to this article is the Vision for our life. It is in this sign (and the 11th house that it rules) that we
find what this Vision is. How it wants expression, interestingly enough, can be found through the opposite sign of
Leo, which rules our own unique abilities and talents. So putting this together, Neptune in Aquarius opens the
door or channel that upon entering or engaging, can help each of us remember not only the Vision for our lives, but
also what will inspire us to follow that Vision. And once we have a greater conscious awareness of that Vision,
to let it enter our being and awaken us to our Life. It is, in essence, a Call to Our Life.

As I said, Neptune has been in Aquarius a while, and as it travels through this sign for these 14 years, there are
certain times that it’s influence is felt more powerfully than others, and this year is one of the. As other
planets come along and aspect these slower planets, it reactivates them, if you will. Both Saturn in Leo, by opposition,
and Jupiter in Scorpio, by a square, will be making direct contact with Neptune in Aquarius. This is both a rare
event and a wonderful opportunity to bring forth a resurgence of inspiration, helping us to remember the Vision we
brought into this incarnation. Even if we have forgotten it, it is still deep within us. And these combined
astrological events are ideal for bringing into our consciousness and thus into our Life, the inspiration we all
have within us, giving each of us the chance to feel renewed and reminded of why we are here. And not only this,
but also how to utilize and manifest these in a form that will strengthen, inspire and ultimately heal us. Furthermore,
in the first three weeks of 2006, Mars, the great catalyst, will also be aspecting this trio from Taurus. This will
only add fuel to the fire, so expect to feel these stirrings early in 2006.

THE SPARK: THE SOLAR ECLIPSE IN ARIES

The Solar Eclipse of March 29th will add a spark to this process, providing the enthusiasm and energy to get you
moving forward. This eclipse will be occurring in what is called the first decan of Aries, and are, in fact, the
first few degrees of the Zodiac. They hold great power and carry the pulse of creation within them. Thus, there will
be an strong burst of energy into the ethers as a result of this eclipse. And how each of us utilizes this energy
is up to us. Creatively and positively used, it can give any new project or idea the energy needed to “get
off the ground”. It can also activate you from within. Knowing where in your chart this important eclipse will
occur would be helpful in seeing what could be an important catalyst for you in 2006. Eclipses begin to have an effect
at least 90 days prior to the event and for 90 days afterwards. (NOTE: the last time a Solar Eclipse occurred in
the first decan of Aries was 1987 and the next time will be 2025.) I will be writing more on this important eclipse
later.

WHERE TO START

I suggest that you think about what it would feel like to really create success in some area of your life. Get in
touch with the personal Vision for your life. Write about it and then come up with a plan of action. Make goals that
are realistic. From the first of the year until Venus stations direct on February 3rd, do some reevaluation of what
it is you would like to accomplish. Know that it may take until then to get things pulled together or to lay some
important ground work before actually putting your plan into action. Mercury will be in Capricorn from January 3rd
until the 22nd, which will help you in thinking about these things in the scope of the bigger picture. Mercury here
is very industrious and goal oriented, and under this influence, you will be more inclined to come up with ideas
for implementation that has a greater chance for success in the long run. Patience and maturity are also keys now.

In essence, I feel this is a great year to come up with a plan for creating positive change in your life. Anything
is possible. Maybe this is the year to start your own business or to promote your own skills and talents. Perhaps
you are wanting to get out of debt and create a greater financial security for yourself or continue your education
or save money to buy a house. This is a great year to focus on changing routines and habits to create a healthier
lifestyle. Or maybe a move to a different area and to “start over” or perhaps travel. Anything that requires
getting in touch with your Vision, doing an honest evaluation of where you are, then coming up
with a plan and implementing that plan has a great chance of success in 2006. I would like to encourage
you to take these impulses seriously and take steps to make them real.

One last comment. Because of the squares and oppositions between Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune, there will surely
be challenges to face and overcome throughout this process. Issues of worth and value, power and empowerment, old
patterns and habits are all likely to present themselves. Yet I feel that all the right ingredients are available
to overcome them and create the positive outcome and success in the area(s) you desire. This truly is a rare
opportunity. The stars say “the time is now. Go for it!”.

It is my hope that by tuning into these energies and working with them, that at the end of 2006 you will have achieved
success and have a greater sense of fulfillment. And that in this process, you were able to reconnect to your Higher
Self and Soul Purpose in tangible, viable, authentic ways.

Many blessings in 2006,
Elizabeth Jones

Note: Below are Elizabeth's picks for resources she suggests for working with and/or accessing the energies she
describes in her, 2006 Astrological Report.

For more information about Mt. Shasta, California, astrologer Elizabeth Jones, visit her website at www.starpathways.com, or you can
easily reach her at ejones@starpathways.com. Her phone number is 530-926-1999.